The Middle School Track and Field Championships (Grade 6-7 & 8)will be held June 11th 2013 at the Canada Games Stadium in Saint John. Last year, over 25 schools participated in this great event. The events offered are the following: 80m, 100m, 150m, 200m, 300m, 800m, 1.2k, 200m hurdles, long jump, high jump, shot put, 4x100m relay and the medley relay.

Registration is now open at the following link until June 6th 2013 at 11:59pm. There is a low cost of 6$ for the first event and 3$ for each of the next two events (max 3 events/participant). Note that there is a maximum of two athletes per event per school and there is no charge for entering relay teams. Ribbons will be presented to the athletes who finish in the top three of each event and the winning school will be presented with the Middle school Championships banner for 2013.

Over the weeks leading up to Canada Games, Athletics New-Brunswick will present their top athletes. This week, we present Sarah Macpherson , one of the favorites in the 1500m.

Sarah MacPherson has always lived a life full of athletics. From a young age she became involved with soccer, badminton, volleyball, basketball and cross country. She raced and won her very first cross country race at New Maryland Elementary School at the age of eight, and has never looked back. Today she runs for the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma, holds several records at the University, and is among the best 1500m runners in Canada.

Born and raised in Keswick Ridge, Sarah attended Keswick Ridge School until she made the switch to Albert Street School in Grade 6 in order to be able to compete and practice with more competitive athletes such as herself. She excelled in both running and basketball, and enjoyed exploring both sports as she grew older. Basketball was always her favorite sport and her father coached her along the way, but after an injury at a basketball try-out Sarah decided that cross country running was the way to go. “I decided that I had more of a shot in running then I did in basketball.” It was then as she moved into high school that she truly committed to her running and sought out the guidance of Fredericton Fast Tracks coach Greg Allan.

Sarah found the leadership and coaching she needed in Greg, and by the beginning of her senior year she began to receive phone calls from schools in the states. “I did not know most of them because I was not familiar with schools in America. But they were all offering full scholarships which had always been a dream of mine” she recalls. One particular recruitment call from the University of Tulsa stood out as the recruiter was Canadian. “His coach had been my coach’s (Greg Allan) coach at one point. So I decided to visit the school with my father.”

The University of Tulsa turned out to be the perfect fit for Sarah, and she began classes there that fall. The environment was entirely new to her, and it took some time to adapt. “I went from maybe running between 20-30miles a week to 50-60miles a week. Changing my long run to 90minutes instead of an hour!” The coach there had a much different training style than Sarah was used to, and she suffered several stress fractures in her rookie years, as well as battling anemia. Her workouts are long and intense, with little down time between intervals. “We usually do a strength session on Tuesday like 5x1000km and then 8x300m. Something long and then some change of pace but with minimal rest.”

Sarah recently graduated from the University of Tulsa with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. Although the environment was different than training in New Brunswick,“overall I loved the university of Tulsa.” Her sights are now set on this summer’s Canada Games.

Sarah is quick to assert that she is “very excited for Canada games this year! My season has been going well this year and I feel strong so I’m very excited to see what I can do at Canada games this year!” Her enthusiasm for the subject is overwhelming, and we she was pleased to add that “I have never competed for Canada, which has always been a dream of mine.”

In concluding the interview I asked Sarah whether she considered herself to be a success. Her response was more than modest, saying that “I don’t really consider myself successful overall. I have had successes and many failures. But I try to use both to fuel me to achieve more. I tend to set goals and attempt to achieve them and once I do I strive for a new goal.” I asked her to leave me with a few words of advice for those who may be interested in pursuing a sporting career such as hers. Her advice was simply inspired. “Stay busy, do lots of different sports as a child and try not to take running too seriously, just have fun with it” was her biggest claim. “I’m a strong believer that half effort gets you nowhere. I love being able to go to the starting line and believe that I put in all the work possible and that I’m confident in my fitness.” Her words echo a strong sentiment which is mirrored in her own success, and we look forward to hearing great things from her.

May 30 2013 - NBIAA Track and Field championships set for Saturday

Over 450 athletes representing 49 schools from around New Brunswick will compete Saturday at the Canada Games Stadium in Saint John for the NBIAA Provincial Track and Field Championships. Athletes qualified for these championships through their respective regional championships which took place in Rexton and Saint John this past weekend. Conditions are expected to be great , putting many NBIAA records on the line.

- Nick MackMackin of Saint John High School will challenge William Bests' senior 800m record set in 1990 with a time of 1:55.80. MacMackin, who was a silver medalist at last year's Canadian Youth Track and Field Championships, has a personal best of 1:54.32 and will also race the 400m and 1500m.

- Josh Shanks of Saint John High School, also a medalist at last year's Canadian Youth Track and Field Championships, will challenge Ryan Cassidy's senior 3000m record set in 2011 in a time of 8:34.30. Shanks, who is currently ranked first in Canada with a time of 8:33.38, will also run the 800m and 1500m.

- Matthew McLaughlin of Fredericton High School may challenge Adam Gaudes' senior 400m record set in 2010 in a time of 49.04. McLaughlin is currently ranked fourth in Canada with a time of 50.23 and will also compete in the 100m and 200m.

- Brandon LeBlanc of Riverview High School will challenge Reid van Drecht's senior 400m hurdle record set in 2006 in a time of 58.29. LeBlanc is currently ranked first in the NBIAA in the event and will also compete in the 110m hurdles and 800m.

- Jake Hayes of Rothesay High School will challenge Prince Mwenga's senior 200m record set in 2002 in a time of 22.75. Hayes has a personal best of 22.64 in the event and will also compete in the 100m.

- Sara Kean of Rothesay High School will challenge Genevieve Lalonde's junior 800m record set in 2007 in a time of 2:17.68. Kean will also compete in the 400m.

- Victoria LeBlanc of Saint John High School will challenge her own record in the junior 300m hurdles where she set the record just last year in a time of 48.62. LeBlanc will also compete in the 200m and long jump.

- Sydney MacDoanld of Miramichi Valley High School will challenge Rebecca Sheehan's senior 100m hurdle record set in 2009 in a time of 16.75. MacDonald will also compete in the high jump and long jump events.

- Jennifer Bell of Miramichi Valley High School will challenge Jessica Chamberland's senior shot put record set in 2009 with a throw of 11.32m. Jennifer Bell threw 11.64m's at regionals and will also compete in the triple jump and discus throw.

- Amy-Lynn Grant of Ecole Secondaire Nepisiguit will challenge Grace Anear's senior 400m record set in 2011 in a time of 58.16. Grant currently holds the junior record in this event and will also race the 100m and 200m.

“These championships are always exciting, New Brunswick has some great High School athletes" said Gabriel LeBlanc, Technical Director for Athletics New Brunswick. " These championships also allow to identify future provincial team members including members that will represent New Brunswick at the National Youth Championships this summer in British Colombia and at the Canada Summer Games’’ added LeBlanc.

Attention to all potential Team NB athletes and parents of athletes for the 2013 Canada Games.

Do you want to show your support for your provincial team athletes that will be participating in the 2013 Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke, QC this upcoming August? Here’s a link and all the information necessary for the Team NB Parent/Supporter Clothing Program. Available are: tee shirts, polo shirts, lightweight jackets, hoodies, rain ponchos and ball caps. Show your support! http://www.valleygraphics.ca/sg_userfiles/NB_CWG_OrderForm.pdf

May 26 2013 - Pellerin Shines in Ottawa

Jeremie Pellerin of Cocagne was in Ottawa this weekend for the Ottawa Marathon and 10km event, running in the elite field with very well-known international runners.
Pellerin placed 13th overall in a personal best time of 31:09, as well was the third Canadian across the line and the winner of the 17 - 19 age class. With being the 3rd Canadian he also captured 500$ in prize money.
It also appears that this time would placed Jéremie 4th all time in New Brusnwick hhistory behind Joel Bourgeois, Réjean Chiasson and Carol Lepage.
The race was won by El Hassan El Abbassi of Morocco in 27:36.6, followed by Adugna Bikila of Ethiopia in 27:37.3, followed by Geoffrey Mutai, of Kenya in 27:38.4. Kelly Wiebe, current CIS cross country champion, was the first Canadian across the finish line in a time of 29:22.0.
Full results can be found here: http://www.sportstats.ca/displayResults.xhtml?racecode=104385

May 25 2013 - NBIAA North East Regional Recap

The NBIAA North-East Regional Track and Field Championships took place this past Saturday, with weather being far from ideal. Temperatures reached no higher than single digits, wind maintained a constant speed down the homestretch, and rain fell almost for the entire duration of the meet, proving to be a challenge for many athletes. Despite these conditions, many athletes ran great times, qualifying themselves for provincials, to take place next Saturday at Canada Games Stadium in Saint John.

Notable qualifiers include:
- Brandon LeBlanc of Riverview High School placed first in the senior boys 400m hurdles and 800m, while taking second in the 110m hurdles just behind teammate Jake Bradley.
- Isaiah Francis of Bonar Law captured first in the junior boys 400m, 300m hurdles, and the 100m hurdles.
- Angus MacIntosh of Riverview High won the senior boys 1500m and 3000m.
- Alexander Williston of James M. Hill took first in both the senior boys 100m and 200m.
- Clint Steeves of J.M.A. Armstrong took second in the 100m, tied for first in the high jump, and took first in the long jump by 45 centimeters.
- Austin Roberts of L.J.R. captured first in both the junior boys 1500m and 3000m.
- Nick Maclean of Bernice MacNaughton took fourth in the 100m, third in the long jump, and first in the 200m.
- Jonathan Cormier of Ecole Secondaire Nepisiguit took first in the senior boys 400m and second in the 800m.
- Jordan Sonier of James M. Hill took first in the senior boys discus, as well as second in the javelin throw.
- Amy-Lynn Grant of Ecole Secondaire Nepisiguit captured all three senior girls sprint events, taking first in the 100m, 200m, and 400m.
- Marilyn Nowlan of Clement-Cormier took first in both the junior girls 100m and 200m, as well as fourth in the long jump.
- Sydney MacDonald of Miramichi Valley took first in the senior girls 100m hurdles, tied for first in the high jump, and took second in the long jump.
- Hailee Cook of James M. Hill took first in both the senior girls high jump and long jump, as well as second in the discus throw.
- Jennifer Bell of Miramachi Valley took first in both the senior girls shot put and discus throws, as well as second in the triple jump.
- Madison Dyaton of Bernice MacNuahgton took first in the senior girls 400m hurdles and fourth in the 200m.
- Carol-Anne MacDonald of Bernice MacNaughton claimed first in all three of her distance events in the senior girls 800m, 1500m, and 3000m.
- Sara-Eve Noel of Ecole Secondaire Nepisiguit took first in both the junior girls shot put and discus throw.
- Annie Dysart of Tantramar took first in both the junior girls 800m and 1500m.
'' The athletes did an amazing job , despite the bad condition there were some amazing results ! '' mentioned Gabriel LeBlanc technical Director of Athletics New Brunswick. '' A special thank you to all of our volunteers and officials who really showed their passion for youth and our sport '' added LeBlanc.
Full results can be found here: http://anb.ca/Results/view-results.php?id=557

May 25 2013 - NBIAA South-West Regional Meet Recap

The NBIAA South-West Regional Track and Field Championships took place this past Saturday in Saint John, with weather much like the other reason. Temperatures reached no higher than single digits, wind maintained a constant speed down the homestretch, and rain fell almost for the entire duration of the meet, proving to be a challenge for many athletes.

Due to these conditions, all short distance hurdles, high jump, and boys triple jump were cancelled, so all athletes listed in the results in these events automatically qualify for provincials, also to be held at the Canada Games Stadium in Saint John.

Notable qualifiers include:

- Nick MacMackin of Saint John High took first in senior boys 800m and 1500m, as well as second in the 400m.

- Josh Shanks of Saint John High took first in the senor boys 3000m, as well as second in the 800m and 1500m.

- Anthony Cormier of Saint John High took first in the junior boys 300m hurdles, as well as second in the 200m and 400m.

- Ben Fowler of Harbour View High took first in the javelin throw by over 10 meters

- Matthew McLaughlin of Fredericton High took first in the senior boys 200m and 400m, as well as second in the 100m.

- Jack Berkshire of Fredericton High took first in the junior boys 200m and second in the 100m.

- Jacob Hayes of Rothesay took first in the senior boys 100m and second in the 200m.

- Paul Tremblay of Ecole Samuel-Champlain took first in all three junior boys distance events, the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m.

- Adrian Kinney of Carlton-North took first in the junior boys 400m, second in the long jump, and fourth in the 100m.

- Katie Robinson of Saint John High took first in the senior girls 400m hurdles and 1500m, as well as second in the 800m.

- Victoria Leblanc of Saint John High took first in both thejunior girls 300m hurdles and long jump, as well as second in the 200m.

- Hannah Arsenault of Saint John High took first in the senior girls 3000m, second in the 1500m, and third in the 800m.

- Leah MacAuley of Fredericton High took first in both the senior girls 400m and 800m.

- Taylor High of Fredericton High took first in the junior girls 3000m, as well as second in the 1500m.

- Samantha Taylor of Canterbury took first in both the junior girls 100m and 200m.

- Ashley Gallagher of Oromocto took first in both the senior girls 100m and 200m, as well as second in the 400m.

- Luisa Schwarz of Sainte-Anne took first in the junior girls 1500m and second in the 3000m.

- Sara Kean of Rothesay took first in both the junior girls 400m and 800m.

- Shannon Morris of St. Malachy's took first in both the senior girls shot put and discus throws, as well as sixth in the javelin throw.

May 23 2013 - NBIAA Regional Track and Field meets set for this weekend

Over 700 high school athletes from 49 New Brunswick High School are set to compete on Saturday May 25th at the annual NBIAA regional track and field meets. The South West regional meet will take place at the Canada Games Stadium in Saint-John while the North East regional meet at the Shawn Graham Track complex in Rexton. The top 8 athlete in each event will qualify for the Provincial Championships that will take place in Saint John on June 1st.

The South West Meet region will be represented by over 350 athletes coming from 21 New Brunswick High school .

Top athletes to watch out for include:

- Nick MacMackin of Saint John High will be running the 400m, 800m, and 1500m. MacMackin was a silver medalist at last years National Youth Track and Field Championships in the 1500m and could break the NBIAA records in the 800m and 1500m at the provincial. Teammate Josh Shanks will be running the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m. He is currently ranked 1st in Canada in the 3000m , after running a new New Brunswick record of 8:33.38 two weeks ago in Moncton at the ASEA Spring Meet.

- Matthew McLaughlin of Fredericton High will be looking for top spots in the three sprint events, the 100m, the 200m, and the 400m. He is currently ranked 3rd in Canada in the 400m

- Paul Tremblay of Ecole Samuel de Champlain, who was a bronze medalist at last years National Youth Track and Field Championships, will be looking to take a top spot in the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m. His teammate Pierre Dumouchel will be running the 400m, 800m, and 1500m.

- Jacob Hayes of Rothesay High will be looking to capture the 100m and 200m. Last year Haynes broke the provincial 200m youth record at last year’s National Youth Track and Field Championships.

- Matthew Baker of Fredericton High will be looking for top spots in the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m.

- Ben Fowler of Harbour View High will be looking to capture the 110m hurdles, the high jump, and the javelin throw.

On the girls side

- Katie Robinson of Saint John High, who was a bronze medalist at last years National Youth Track and Field Championships, will be looking to capture the 400m hurdles, the 800m, and the 1500m.

- Lusia Schwarz of Ecole Sainte-Anne, who was a silver medalist at last years National Youth Track and Field Championships, will be looking to capture the 1500m and 3000m events. She is currently ranked 2nd in Canada in the 3000m

- Leah Macaulay of Fredericton High will be looking for a top spot in the 400m and 800m.

- Taylor Dunn of Fredericton High will be looking for top spots in the 1500m and 3000m.

- Chelsey Hall of Fredericton High will be looking for a top spot in the 800m and the 1500m.

- Victoria LeBlanc of Saint John High will be looking for top spots in the 200m, 300m hurdles, and the long jump. She was a medalist in lats years National CHampionships

- Sara Kean of Rothesay High will be looking to capture the 400m and 800m.

- Alexondra Kiely of Fredericton High will be looking for top spots in the 800m and 300m hurdles.

The Canada Games Registration data-base is now open for coaches, managers and participants to register. All prospective team members are asked to go on-line and complete the process which takes about 15 minutes. Any athletes who are not selected for teams or have to withdraw due to injury will be deleted from the system at a later date.

The registration deadline is May 29th.

Before beginning to register, team members must have medical information including any insurance program to which they belong and the contact information for their family physician.

· Team members, including coaches and managers must complete the biographical information as this is what is used to prepare the Team NB Media Guides.

· If athletes are potentially competing in both weeks of the Games (i.e. mountain bike – week one and road bike – week two) they need to register twice – once with each sport.

· Athletes must also check all the disciplines that they hope to compete in (i.e. 100m and 200m)

· Participants can return to the site and update information, but they must provide a valid e-mail.

· Participants who are 18 years and older can read and check the Participant Release, Waiver and Consent forms. Those under 18 years will need to print the form and have a parent sign for them.

The SJTC Spring Open took place yesterday at the Canada Games Stadium in Saint John, hosted by Saint John Track Club and Saint John High School and sanctioned by the NBIAA. Over 250 athletes took part in this event.
Cold and windy weather turned to be a challenge for the athletes, but great results came even so, with 5 new masters provincial records being set.
- William Anderson of Saint John Track Club broke his own masters 65 - 70 400m record in a time of 1:34.62
- Andrew Justason broke his own masters 40 - 44 high jump record with a jump of 1.55m.
- Philip Davis established a new masters 35 - 39 high jump record with a jump of 1.55m.
- Joe Hall of Prince William established a new masters 35 - 39 7.26kg shot put record with a throw of 13.08m, and a new record in the hammer throw with a throw of 33.91m.

Moncton's Genevieve Lalonde of Speed River Track and Field Club placed 7th in the 3000m steeplechase at yesterdays Oxy High Performance Meet in Los Angeles, California. Lalonde's time of 10:06.23. This is the 3rd fastest time by a canadian this year.

" With her performance back in April having acheived the qualifying standard for the Jeux de la Francophonie in Nice, France this Summer, this time shows that she is ready to take on the world and aim for the podium.'' said Gabriel LeBlanc technical director of Athletics New Brunswick.

Meanwhile , New Brunswick fastest wheelchair racer James Brace of Interval (and member of South East Athletics) took to the track at the Desert Challenge Games this past Sunday in Mesa, Arizona. James Brace of Interval competed in the T54 100m, 200m, and the 400m, as well he was on the Athletics Canada 4x400m team which finished second place.

James finished 11th in the 100m in a time of 18.63, 12th in the 200m in 32.78, and 12th in the 400m in 1:01.04. His 400m performance was a personal best as well as a New Brunswick record by over a second.
The Desert Challenge Games is a world renowned competition featuring track and field, archery, and swimming events for athletes with a disability . This year, the track and field component was named to be one of six events to become part of the IPC Athletics Grand Prix, known to be the highest of competitions in the world for para athletes.
More information about the competition can be found here: http://www.desertchallengegames.com/Home_Page.html
Full Results can be found here: http://wingfootfinish.com/result_details.cfm?ResultsID=198
Both Genevieve and James will be competing at the National Senior Championships June 20-23rd in Moncton.

May 17 2013 - Hershey Track and Field Program

Summer is just around the corner and with it again comes the annual Hershey track and field events. The Hershey program is an athletic program for boys and girls aged 9 to 14. The program’s focus is to promote physical fitness, participation, friendship and sportsmanship. Last year over 5 000 kids participated in the event.

The regional meets will be held at the start of June. All athletes between the ages of 9 and 14 are strongly encouraged to participate in the free competition held in the region. The top five athletes in all events will qualify for the Hershey Provincial Meet and from there, the Hershey Maritime Meet, where the finalists are eligible for selection to the Regional Team (consisting of New-Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, PEI, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut). The Regional Team will compete in the North American Final at Henry Hershey Field in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

This year, the regional competitions will take place on May 16th in Restigouche, June 5th in Memramcook, June 6th in Saint John, June 9th in Fredericton, June 11th in Tracadie, June 12th in Shediac, June 13th in Moncton and June 17th in Rexton. The top five in each event from each regional competition will move on to the Hershey Provincial Championships in Moncton on June 23rd.

May 16 2013 - STU seeking for head coach Cross Country and Track and field

Department of Athletics

Job summary: St. Thomas University invites interested applicants for the position of Head Cross-Country and Track and Field coach beginning in the 2013-2014 season. Responsibilities will include coaching the cross-country team and the indoor track and field team, both male and female athletes, and the recruitment of qualified student-athletes. It also includes planning and preparation for meets (including travel details).

Minimum qualifications: Bachelor’s degree and 2-4 years experience coaching cross-country and track and field; knowledge of AUS and CIS rules and regulations; valid driver’s license; First Aid and CPR certification

Preferred qualifications: Level 3 NCCP

Application process: Email resume and three references to Michael Eagles at meagles@stu.ca

Close date: May 31st, 2013

University website – www.stu.ca

STU Athletics website - www.gotommies.ca

About the city of Fredericton - http://www.fredericton.ca/en/

May 15 2013 - Summer Job –Moncton, Dieppe region (2 positions)

Athletics New Brunswick , is seeking applications from interested students for a summer time position . The successful candidate will be expected to work in the Moncton/Dieppe area with assisting in training and administrative activities. One of the positions will also work with the local organizing committee of the Canadian Senior Championships.

Travel to track meets within the Province of New Brunswick to assist Athletics New Brunswick will be required. This position is ideal for mature students able to take direction and work independently. Experience in track and field, working with athletes and youth, and the ability to work independently will be considerations in the selection process.

Duties and requirements for the position include the following:

- 15 years of age or older and returning to studies in the Fall

- able to work evenings and weekends to meet the needs of track meets and events

- able to travel to the club facility and local area track meets as required

- good knowledge of the sport of Track & Field

- assist in the operation of local meets and practices with various roles including having the physical ability to set up and remove equipment that is used in track & field

- coordinate volunteers and schedules at events as required

- bilingualism would be an asset

- other related duties as required

This is an 8 week 30 hours a week job paying $13.00 per hour. The position is funded via Service Canada and starting in mid to late May 2013. Applicants are asked to forward their resume to ANB anb@anb.ca by Tuesday , May 21st 2013.

May 15 2013 - SJTC Spring Open Set for Monday

Saint John’s first track meet of the summer season will be held this coming Monday, May 20th at the Canada Games Stadium. Hosted by SJTC and Saint John High School, the meet will begin at 1pm (with the exception of the hammer throw starting at noon) and will continue until approximately 5pm. This is yet another opportunity for high schools across the province to get more experience on the track before high school regional and provincial meets!

Events to watch out for will be the men’s javelin, including competitors Mitch Quigg (SJTC) and Caleb Jones (SJTC), the province’s two top javelin throwers; the men’s 200m including Jacob Hayes (SJTC), who broke the youth male 200m record last year; the women’s long jump with young up and comers like Sydney MacDonald (ASEA) and Victoria LeBlanc (SJTC) looking to jump well over five meters.

Over the weeks leading up to Canada Games, Athletics New-Brunswick will present their top athletes. This week, we present the one and only Geneviève Lalonde, of Moncton.

Geneviève is seen by the track community as one of the top athletes in the country, and could very well be one of the best female athletes to come out of New-Brunswick, all sports considered.

It is hard to pinpoint the 22 year old Guelph University superstar’s specialty. Ever since the age of 13, when she dropped her dancing lessons to run, Geneviève has excelled at every event in distance, whether it be the 1500m, the 3000m steeplechase, 5km cross country, and the 800m.

Despite almost always outshining her peers, Geneviève has always dreamed of bigger and better results.

“The thing is, even when I was among the best in the world at certain points, there is always someone on the same path, with a different approach, she said. That way we can always try to be at our best, but in the back of our minds, there is always someone out there to compete with.”

This summer, Geneviève will be representing New-Brunswick in the 2000m steeplechase, and could also be doing the 1500m or the 5000m.

During the 2009 Canada Games in PEI, the Moncton native was already a medal hopeful in the 5000 m. However, things didn’t go quite according to plan.

“Let’s just say it was an experience and I learned from it. During my first Canada Games, I had just finished high school, I had had my first stress fracture, and was going through physical and mental changes. I didn’t know how to handle the pressure and I fainted during my race.”

“In 2013, I am expecting a great experience while representing New-Brunswick. Many of the athletes will be younger than me, and if I can help guide them on their path in any way, I’ll be happy.”

Four years have gone by since then, and Geneviève now has several national titles at the junior and university levels under her belt. She has also represented Canada’s at numerous international events.

Having had so many experiences, it’s no wonder she has a hard time chosing her best one.

“It’s hard to pick just one! In terms of cultural experiences, my trips in China, India and Jordan really gave me an opportunity to see the world in a different light. In terms of competitions, I’ve always loved getting to wear a team Canada singlet, and each time has been special in its own way.”

One thing is for sure, every time Geneviève steps on the track, we are all sure to get our money’s worth.

Many of us remember her magical performance during the 2010 World Junior Championships in front of a home crowd of over 10 000 people.

During the 3000m steeplechase qualifying round, she finished second in her heat, beating runners from Kenya, the United States, and many others to make it to the finals. There, she finished 6th, beaten only by a handful of africans and a german runner. Her time of 9:57.74 established broke the junior NACAC record (North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletic Association).

For Geneviève, track and field has never been solely about big accomplishments. For her, running is above all a thing of passion.

“I’ve always been active, and when i was young, my parents put me in all kinds of sports. At a certain age, I understood that I strived in those sports because of my running, and not necessarily because of my technical abilities. I always liked just going out for runs.”

“At one point, I was on a team where if you didn’t listen, you had to run more... So I stopped listening on purpose.”

Geneviève could also compete at the World senior championships, the World university games, and the World francophone games, this summer. She has also achieved the standard in the 3000m Steeplechase to represent New Brunswick at the 2013 Francophone Games in Nice France in September. New Brunswick fans will also get a chance to see her compete at the National Senior Championships in Moncton June 20-23rd.

May 12 2013 - ASEA Spring Open recap

The outdoor season for New Brunswick athletes was capped off on Saturday with the ASEA Warm-Up Meet, co-hosted by Riverview High School and sanctioned by NBIAA. Participation was large with many high school and open athletes competing from all around the Maritimes, with many of the athletes setting personal bests. 9 provincial records were set, including:
On the men's side:
- Josh Shanks of Saint John Track Club proved to have the best performance of the meet, breaking the youth 3000m record, formally held by Barry Britt, in a time of 8:33.38. This time also surpasses the standard (8:48.00) for the 2013 IAAF World Youth Track and Field Championships to be held in Donetsk, Ukraine!
- Andrew Justason of Fredericton Legion Track Club broke his own masters 40 - 45 record in the javelin throw with a throw of 44.32.
- James Brace of ASEA broke the T54 800m record with a time of 2:19.95.
- Rilind Dragoshi of ASEA set a new mark in the F11 7.26kg shot put with a throw of 4.92m.
On the women's side:
- Melissa Pellerin of ASEA, broke her own midget and youth 500g javelin records with a throw of 34.62m!
- Veronica Coombes of ASEA broke the T54 800m wheelchair record with a time of 2:43.41, breaking the previous record by over 35 seconds!
-Heather Griffiths of ASEA set 2 new 35-40 records first in the 200m with a time of 35.68 and in the 400m with a time of 1:19.44
Other notable performances include:
- Caleb Jones of Saint John Track Club won the open javelin throw with a throw of 70.66m, smashing the standard for the Canada Games, and reaching the standard for the 2013 Jeux de la Francophonie set to take place in Nice, France.
- Mitch Quigg, also of Saint John Track Club, reached the Canada Games standard by over 10 meters with a throw of 64.92m, just missing the Jeux de la Francophonie standard by less than 5 meters.
- Pierre Dumouchel of Saint John Track Club won the open 800m in 2:01.63, beating the Canada Games minima standard of 2:05.83.
- Brandon LeBlanc of Riverview won the high school 800m in a time of 2:03.84, beating out the next closest competitor by over 15 seconds, and also reaching the Canada Games minima standard.
- Jonathan Gionet of Chaleur Athletics, won the open shot put with a throw of 12.75m, surpassing the Canada Games minima standard of 11.22m.
- David Kerr of Fredericton also reached the Canada Games minima standard with a throw of 11.27 in the shot put.
Full Results can be found here: http://anb.ca/Results/view-results.php?id=555

May 12 2013 - Barry Britt wins Double at the WAC Championships

Congratulations to Barry Britt of Hampton for winning the 5000m and 10000m events at the 2013 Western Athletic Conference Championships held in Arlington Texas by The University of Texas at Arlington this past weekend. Barry won the tactical distance races in times of 14:44.77 for the 5000m and 31:42.77 for the 10000m. The Saint John Track club member who runs for the Univeristy of Idaho will compete next in the 5000m at the first round of NCAA’s May 25th taking place in Austin, Texas hosted by The University of Texas.

May 9 2013 - ASEA spring Track meet set for Saturday

Moncton to host first outdoor Track meet of the year

Time to sprint into another track and field season! The 2013 ASEA Spring Opener cohosted by Riverview High School will take place at the Moncton 2010 Stadium this Saturday, May 11th. The meet will start at 10am and go on through the day until supper time. Then, due to popular demand, the javelin and discus throw events will take place at the Anna Malenfant track in Dieppe at 6pm.

Over 150 athletes from ages 8 to 88 and including high school teams from W.-A.-Losier, Moncton High and James M. Hill, are registered for what is surely to be a great first event of the season.

Here are some events not to miss:

- Mens’ 3000m should be exciting with runner Mat McNeil of Saint john (SJTC) and national medalists Josh Shanks of Lepreau (SJTC) and Nick MacMackin of Quispamsis (SJTC) who all have seed times under 9 minutes.

- Université de Moncton’s Athlete of the year Jason Mackenzie (ASEA) of Campbellton will be competing in the 110m hurdles, long jump, shot put and javelins throw.

- Mens’ javelin throw featuring Caleb Jones (SJTC) of Saint John, a potential Canada Games medalist and Jeux de la Francophonie team NB member and Mitch Quigg (SJTC) also from Saint John who will both be attempting to throw past 70 meters. The current New Brunswick record is 73.25m by Caleb Jones .

- There will be an almost full track for the 100m, 200m and 400m para athlete races featuring New-Brunswick’s fastest ever wheel-chair racers James Brace (ASEA) from Intervale and Veronica Coombes (ASEA) from Shediac Cape and national team member Jackie Marciano (HFS) from Halifax.

- Jason Bouchard (FLTC) of Fredericton, New-Brunswick indoor record holder in the 400m and 200m, will also be running in those two events.

‘’ This meet provides a great early opportunity for our athletes ‘, said Gabriel LeBlanc Technical Director of Athletics New Brusniwck. ‘’We have some of the best athletes in Canada so the event promises to be exciting’’

Athletics New Brunswick , is seeking applications from interested students for a summer time position . The successful candidate will be expected to work in the Fredericton area with assisting in training and administrative activities.

Travel to track meets within the Province of New Brunswick to assist Athletics New Brunswick will be required. This position is ideal for mature students able to take direction and work independently. Experience in track and field, working with athletes, and youth and the ability to work independently will be considerations in the selection process.

Duties and requirements for the position include the following:

- 15 years of age or older and returning to studies in the Fall

- able to work evening and weekends to meet the needs of track meets and events

- able to travel to the club facility and local area track meets as required

- good knowledge of the sport of Track & Field

- assist in the operation of local meets and practices with various roles including having the physical ability to set up and remove equipment that is used in track & field

- coordinate volunteers and schedules at events as required

- bilingualism would be an asset

- other related duties as required

This is an 8 week 30 hours a week job paying $13.00 per hour. The position is funded via Service Canada and starting in mid to late May 2013. Applicants are asked to forward their resume to ANB anb@anb.ca by Thursday, May 16th 2013.

May 7 2013 - Para Athletics Introduction clinic

Athletics New Brunswick in partnership with Para NB will be hosting an Introduction to Para-Athletics Clinic on Sunday May 12th in Moncton from 11:00am-1:00pm. There is no cost to this clinic. This clinic is open to participants, coaches and volunteers who want to learn about Athletics for athletes with a disability.

Athletics (also known as Track and Field) is the most adaptive sport for athletes with a disability whether athletes are ambulatory or use a wheelchair, they can participate in many of the events offered in track and field. Athletics New Brunswick welcomes people with all types of physical disabilities such as visual, cerebral palsy, paraplegia, multiple sclerosis, amputation, cystic fibrosis and many others to take part in an introduction to Athletics clinic. This workshop will allow participants the chance to try many athletics events including racing, throwing and jumping.

National athletes and coaches will also be on hand to teach proper technique and skills.

This session will also help identify the potential athletes to participate at the 2013 Canada Games.

Elizabeth MacDonald, became New Brunswick's second athlete to established the standard for the 2013 Jeux de la Francophonie in Nice, France . With a stunning throw of 50.60m, Elizabeth also broke the New Brunswick Senior hammer throw record at the ANS Spring meet in Halifax.She held the previous record of 44.62m set back in 2009.

The 25 year old from Oromocto who will be graduating with her PhD in Chemistry from Dalhousie Univeristy in October is currently ranked 13th in Canada.

"I'm very pleased to have broken the NB Senior women's hammer throw record as well as achieved the A standard for Team New Brunswick for the Jeux de la Francophonie." said Elizabeth. "Training has been going very well as I have been working hard in the weight room and in the throwing circle. These results would not be possible without the help and dedication by my coach, Jonathan Doucette, who has been essential to my improvement during my studies at Dalhousie University." Added the former Oromocto High Student

''Elizabeth is a great example for athletes in New Brunswick, she is a hard worker and proves that you can juggle studies and high performance sports'` said Gabriel LeBlanc Technical Director of Athletics New Brunswick. '' This performances boast well for her chances to be part of our provincial team that will compete at the Jeux de la Francophonie , we should also expect her to do very well at the Canadian Championships that will be held in Moncton June 20-23rd '' added LeBlanc.

Full Results can be found here: http://www.athleticsnovascotia.ca/images/results/2013/may4results.pdf

May 2 2013 - ASEA Spring Open / SJTC Spring Meet

As New Brunswick weather begins to clear up and begin getting warm again comes the first outdoor meets of the season!

ASEA's Spring Open will be on May 11th in Moncton while the SJTC's Spring Meet will take place on May 20th in Saint John.

Both the meets are also sanction by the NBIAA. The meets will feature events ranging from 100m to 3000m as well as all field events and hurdles and should feature a few athletes reaching Canada Games and Legion standards.

Deadline to register for the Moncton meet is May 8th while the deadline for the Saint John is May 18h.

May 1 2013 - Officials Clinics

Athletics New-Brunswick and ASEA will be offering an introductory official’s clinic in Moncton on May 10th from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Another clinic will be offered by ANB and SJTC in Saint John on May 20th from 10 AM to 12 PM.

This clinic is a great opportunity for people interested in getting involved in track and field at a local, provincial and/or national level. As Moncton will be hosting both the 2013 and 2014 Canadian Championships, this is a great way for people to get involved in a great sport and take part in a great event.

High level officials will provide information on nationally regulated rules of officiating for various track and field events. These include sprinting events, middle distance events, relays, jumping events and throwing events.

There is no cost to participate.

Registration can be done online before May 8th for the Moncton Clinic at www.anb.ca . The deadline to register for the Saint John course is May 15.